Considering 'brand new' executive order on immigration: Trump

2 years ago

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Washington, Feb 11: President Donald Trump has said he is considering signing a "brand new" executive order by next week to temporarily bar citizens of seven Muslim-majority nations from entering America, a day after a US court refused to reinstate his controversial travel ban.

"We will win that battle. The unfortunate part is that it takes time statutorily, but we will win that battle. We also have a lot of other options, including just filing a brand new order," Trump told reporters travelling with him on Air Force One from Andrews Air Force Base to Florida.

Asked if his plan might be to issue a new executive order, Trump said: "It very well could be. We need speed for reasons of security, so it very well could be."

Trump said that "in honour of the (9th US Circuit court) decision" he will likely wait until next week to respond with any action. "Perhaps Monday or Tuesday," he said.

The new executive order on immigration would include security measures, Trump said.

"New security measures. We have very, very strong vetting. I call it extreme vetting and we're going very strong on security. We are going to have people coming to our country that want to be here for good reason," he said.

The President's remarks came after a three-judge bench of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco refused to reinstate his controversial travel ban on Thursday.

The judgement means that citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries will continue to be able to travel to the US.

Trump signed the executive order last month suspending the arrival of all refugees for at least 120 days, Syrian refugees indefinitely, and barring citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days, fulfilling one of his central campaign promises.